Return to Poetry Unit Page
1. Check that all vocab is finished. The students will be using it, so they need it filled out correctly and on hand as the unit progresses. Perhaps go though definitions QUICKLY together after spot checking they are filled out. Those not done (who get a lesser grade) can come see you later to get full definitions.
2. Pass out Poetry Journal and have students complete it. (work on grammar w.s. or assignment when completed--not inc here)
3. Open Miss Stretchbetty's poetry selections "book" and read the 1st three: "The Red Wheelbarrow", "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening", and "The Tyger". GOOD IDEA to give students copies of poems to write notes on. ..............Divide students up into groups and have them: 1- read the poem to the class, 2- give a 1 min analysis (if more than 1 group ...................gets a poem, just have 1 group read, but all give analysis). Add the following points after each poem: ..............Red Wheelbarrow: ...................Discuss: simplicity of red wheelbarrow poem ...................what does depend on the wheelbarrow? ...................realism of the red wheelbarrow poem ..............Stopping by Woods ...................iambic beat pattern to "Stopping By Woods..." ...................the metaphor of life moving on, or even of death coming and how that theme relates to the repeated rhyming couplet ...................breaking habits makes others question us -- horse thinks it's strange to stop ...................should we stop to enjoy the simplistic beauty of life, like the narrator does to enjoy the snow ...................explain how "downy flake" is imagery ...................draw out rhyme scheme at ends of lines (AABA, BBCB, CCDC, DD) ..............Tyger ...................draw out rhyme scheme for "The Tyger" & discuss similarities b/w it and "Stopping by Woods" ...................infer author's thoughts about tigers ...................examine word choice--why words like fire, anvil, dread, terror, etc. Ask students to find descriptive words, list and .......................discuss them and what they do to the mood of the poem. ...................who made the Lamb and why is "Lamb capitalized" what is Blake's point in mentioning these? ...................discuss perfect rhyme vs. imperfect rhyme - symmetry is forced/imperfect rhyme Creating a "reading guide" to incorporate these items above would be beneficial to visual and low level learners.
4. Read Love That Dog pages 1-11. http://www.sharoncreech.com/teach/LoveDogHateCat_TG.pdf --may be helpful
Discuss exposition--who, what when, where, why, etc. of the story.
Explain narrative poetry, and how this book fits that genre.
Do a lot of people reflect Jack's feelings on poetry, why/why not?
Discuss reactions to the 3 poems already discussed in class. Is Jack's reaction to the poems normal or not?
Ask students to predict what may happen. Jot down predictions--or have a student do it--save to look back on upon
book's completion.
5. Finish grammar work passed out in #2.
6. Allow homework time: READ pgs. 6-9 in Miss Stretchberry's poetry selections (pass out copies of poems) and pgs. 12-34 in Love That Dog
1. Check that all vocab is finished. The students will be using it, so they need it filled out correctly and on hand as the unit progresses. Perhaps go though definitions QUICKLY together after spot checking they are filled out. Those not done (who get a lesser grade) can come see you later to get full definitions.
2. Pass out Poetry Journal and have students complete it. (work on grammar w.s. or assignment when completed--not inc here)
3. Open Miss Stretchbetty's poetry selections "book" and read the 1st three: "The Red Wheelbarrow", "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening", and "The Tyger". GOOD IDEA to give students copies of poems to write notes on.
..............Divide students up into groups and have them: 1- read the poem to the class, 2- give a 1 min analysis (if more than 1 group
...................gets a poem, just have 1 group read, but all give analysis). Add the following points after each poem:
..............Red Wheelbarrow:
...................Discuss: simplicity of red wheelbarrow poem
...................what does depend on the wheelbarrow?
...................realism of the red wheelbarrow poem
..............Stopping by Woods
...................iambic beat pattern to "Stopping By Woods..."
...................the metaphor of life moving on, or even of death coming and how that theme relates to the repeated rhyming couplet
...................breaking habits makes others question us -- horse thinks it's strange to stop
...................should we stop to enjoy the simplistic beauty of life, like the narrator does to enjoy the snow
...................explain how "downy flake" is imagery
...................draw out rhyme scheme at ends of lines (AABA, BBCB, CCDC, DD)
..............Tyger
...................draw out rhyme scheme for "The Tyger" & discuss similarities b/w it and "Stopping by Woods"
...................infer author's thoughts about tigers
...................examine word choice--why words like fire, anvil, dread, terror, etc. Ask students to find descriptive words, list and
.......................discuss them and what they do to the mood of the poem.
...................who made the Lamb and why is "Lamb capitalized" what is Blake's point in mentioning these?
...................discuss perfect rhyme vs. imperfect rhyme - symmetry is forced/imperfect rhyme
Creating a "reading guide" to incorporate these items above would be beneficial to visual and low level learners.
4. Read Love That Dog pages 1-11. http://www.sharoncreech.com/teach/LoveDogHateCat_TG.pdf --may be helpful
Discuss exposition--who, what when, where, why, etc. of the story.
Explain narrative poetry, and how this book fits that genre.
Do a lot of people reflect Jack's feelings on poetry, why/why not?
Discuss reactions to the 3 poems already discussed in class. Is Jack's reaction to the poems normal or not?
Ask students to predict what may happen. Jot down predictions--or have a student do it--save to look back on upon
book's completion.
5. Finish grammar work passed out in #2.
6. Allow homework time: READ pgs. 6-9 in Miss Stretchberry's poetry selections (pass out copies of poems) and pgs. 12-34 in Love That Dog